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Application of microcosms in research on the impact of PPCP´s on the aquatic environment
Summary
Researchers used aquatic microcosms containing duckweed, algae, and Daphnia magna to test the ecotoxicological effects of consumer personal care product formulations, finding that Lemna minor contributed to surfactant degradation and that Daphnia magna proved highly sensitive to the tested PPCP mixtures — supporting microcosms as a bridge between single-species tests and field conditions.
The occurrence of emergent pollutants (include e.g. persistent organic pollutants, pharmaceuticals and personal care products - PPCP´s, surfactants, microplastics and other) in the environment is increasing. Pharmaceuticals and personal care products include, for example, skin cosmetics, toothpastes, perfumes and fragrances, pharmaceutical and veterinary medicines, other health and cosmetic personal care products. Most of these products serve to improve the quality of everyday life, but even at low regular doses they can cause various effects on the environment. The main component of many pharmaceuticals and personal care products are surfactants, which have a negative impact especially for surface waters and their ecosystems. This article addresses the assessment of the impact of pollutants contained in pharmaceuticals and personal care products on the aquatic environment using microcosms. Microcosms are used to assess the impact of contaminants in the aquatic environment. Scientific studies with microcosms connect knowledge from single-species toxicological tests and field studies, which can provide new information about life processes and the functioning of ecosystems, or a specific component of biodiversity. The study tested the effects of model samples prepared from selected PPCP's (universal washing gel and liquid detergent for dishes) on aquatic microcosms created from Lemna minor, Daphnia magna, Desmodesmus subspicatus, Oocystis cf. lacustris, Raphidocelis inclinata, and Chlorella vulgaris. Changes in selected indicators (total phosphorus, pH, surfactants, chlorophyll α) in the aquatic microcosms were also monitored and compared with a control microcosm. The results obtained from the research demonstrate that the presence of Lemna minor in aquatic ecosystems contributes to the degradation of surfactants, and its presence in surface water sources may be significant. The small aquatic crustaceans Daphnia magna was found to be sensitive to the presence of PPCP's product samples.